Dogs Trained to Detect PTSD Symptoms in Human Breath

A recent study reveals dogs' ability to identify stress-related compounds in breath, offering new possibilities for PTSD management.

Dogs can detect stress-related volatile organic compounds in human breath, potentially identifying the onset of PTSD flashbacks with over 70% accuracy.
The study, conducted at Dalhousie University, utilized two dogs to distinguish between the breath of individuals recalling traumatic experiences and control samples.
This finding could enable assistance dogs to provide earlier support for individuals experiencing PTSD, enhancing the effectiveness of their assistance.
The research opens avenues for further investigation into the biochemical signals associated with PTSD symptoms and how dogs can be trained to respond to them.
Future research is needed to validate these findings and explore the specific hormonal pathways dogs may be responding to in stressed breath samples.